I am pondering happiness at the moment...

[i-need-a-martini]

(and no, it has nothing to do with the length of my ignore list lol!).

But I am wondering 2 questions:

1. What is happiness?

2. What makes you the happiest?

I know you're all going to say my kids, my husband etc. But what SPECIFICALLY makes you the happiest?

[poddster]

While you are pondering Martinus you might ponder on this a well, it could help you in your deliberation 🙂

Joy and Sorrow

Kahlil Gibran

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater thar sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

So endeth today's lesson 🙂

[*notatroll]

Kahlil Gibran is an insufferable mountebank.

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

What does this even mean? It's utter rubbish.

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

This too is rubbish. I mean, come on.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

And what's this? A metaphor too far by far by a Farsi. 😛

[joz*garage]

martini wants real examples? i thought donna gave a good one:-p

mine? knowledge

[colic2bullsgirlore]

(and no, it has nothing to do with the length of my ignore list lol!).

But I am wondering 2 questions:

1. What is happiness?

2. What makes you the happiest?

I know you're all going to say my kids, my husband etc. But what SPECIFICALLY makes you the happiest?

1 It is a chemical reaction in my brain triggered by my thoughts and actions

2 Witnessing my family and friends experiencing happiness and sharing that feeling with them

[poddster]

Kahlil Gibran is an insufferable mountebank.

You are of course entitled to your opinion and freedom to express that opinion

Having said that Gibran's writings have been in constant print since 1927 I wonder how long you jottings will stand the test of time 🙂

'

[daydream**believer]

it makes me happy seeing my 2 year hug his big brother and sister.

It also makes me happy after ive mowed the lawn and stand back and look at how good it looks.

[vampire-teddy]

i am happy because i am loved and have others I love.  a beautiful physical environment makes me happy, like the beach or beautiful country. i am happy when my pets are around.  

i think being happy is a choice.  it is how you choose to look at things and how grateful you are for things.  

[*notatroll]

Let's not fall out now, poddster. 😉

My jottings, just like Mr Gibran's  might be around longer than we think courtesy of the internet.

But mine are not so pretentious and up themselves. 😛

[*notatroll]

And what about the Bible? A long print run might indicate popular appeal but so do Superman comics.

[poddster]

Let's not fall out now, poddster. 😉

I make it a point never to have a "falling out" I prefer to debate/discuss the issue and not the personality 🙂

I tend to believe that everyone is entitled to whatever opinion they hold and are entitled to voice that opinion. That does not say that if I hold a differing opinion I will not argue my case and try to persuade or at least enlighten my opponent to share my point of view.

If I can't manage to do that then we agree to disagree.

I have no problem with that and do not lay any blame on a person for having a different viewpoint however misguided 🙂